American comic book legend Stan Lee has died aged 95.

The Marvel Comics co-creator passed away at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Monday after a medical emergency.

In recent years, Lee suffered from illnesses including a bout of pneumonia.

Lee is survived by his daughter JC, who described her father as the "greatest, most decent man", after wife Joan passed away last year. 

Read more: Obituary: Stan Lee, Marvel comics legend who created Spider-Man, Iron Man and the Hulk

The superhero mogul, who started out as a comic book writer before taking over as publisher of Marvel Comics, helped create beloved comic book characters including Spider-Man, Hulk, Black Panther and Iron-Man.

Years later he became for making a cameo in every Marvel film, though he had left the Marvel company in 1972.

The Herald: Marvel pays tribute after the wife of superhero creator Stan Lee dies

As news of Lee's passing broke, tributes poured from the entertainment industry.

Bob Iger, chairman of the Walt Disney Company, which bought Marvel Comics for $4bn (£2.5bn) in 2009, branded Lee "a superhero in his own right".

He added: "The scale of his imagination was only exceeded by the size of his heart."

Captain America actor Chris Evans said the comic book mogul "exuded love and kindness".

He said: "There will never be another Stan Lee. For decades he provided both young and old with adventure, escape, comfort, confidence, inspiration, strength, friendship and joy.

"He exuded love and kindness and will leave an indelible mark on so, so, so many lives. Excelsior!"

The Herald: FILE - In this March 21, 2006 file photo, comic book creator Stan Lee stands beside some of his drawings in the Marvel Super Heroes Science Exhibition at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. The Walt Disney Co. on Monday, Aug. 31, 2009 said it is

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige also paid tribute.

“No one has had more of an impact on my career and everything we do at Marvel Studios than Stan Lee," Feige said.

"Stan leaves an extraordinary legacy that will outlive us all. Our thoughts are with his daughter, his family and the millions of fans who have been forever touched by Stan’s genius, charisma and heart.”

The early years

Born Stanley Martin Lieber - the comic book mogul would legally change his name to Stan Lee as an adult - was born in New York on December 28, 1922.

He grew up poor in Washington Heights, the child of Romanian immigrants, and got his first break in the comic book business aged 17 when he was hired as an errand boy at Timely Comics - the company which would eventually become Marvel. 

What started as a teenage Stan fetching lunches and erasing pencil lines eventually evolved into a fully fledged writing gig. 

Two years after he started, Lee penned a two-page short story for for Kirby and Joe Simon's Captain America #3 titled "The Traitor's Revenge!".

For the first time ever, he used the pen name Stan Lee.

The Marvel years

Lee was named interim editor of Timely Comics aged 19 when the previous editor quit.

In 1942 he enlisted in the Army but, after the war, he returned to the publisher and served as the editor for decades. 

Collaborating with fellow comic book stalwarts Jack Kirkby and Steve Ditko, he created and co-created some of the most recognisable superhero heroes today, including the Hulk, Doctor Stage, Black Panther - but, perhaps most notably, Spider-Man. 

The Herald:

Eventually Stan wrote, art-directed and edited most of Marvel's series and newspaper strips before becoming publisher of Marvel Comics in 1972.

He also penned a monthly comics column Stan's Soapbox, signing off with what would become his signature phrase "Excelsior".

Stan was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1995.